Meera Rajoo-Oakley – Ladies’ Captain, Friday 5 Junior Race & Cross Country Race Director

As Ladies Captain I aim to encourage and support the female members of our club to achieve their running goals, whatever they may be! I look to encourage teamwork and camaraderie amongst the GBRC ladies, promoting the benefits of being a member of our friendly club.
It brings me real joy to see our members progressing with their running (further, faster, more enjoyable) and will always encourage ladies to try new races and events. I have been pleased to see more ladies attend events such as the Essex Champs cross country or trying trail runs for the first time.
I joined GBRC in 2015, primarily because I wanted to run in a cross-country league and you have to be affiliated to a club to do this. Having been on the local running scene for a little while and thinking about joining a club, GBRC members always seemed the most enthusiastic about a potential new member so I joined here and wouldn’t ever go anywhere else. Through being part of GBRC I have gained more than just cross country, in particular I have gained friendship and opportunities to try new things with said friends.
As well as being Ladies’ Captain, I am a LiRF, primarily leading off-road (muddy!) runs on a Sunday morning. I also support the races the club puts on by being on the Core team for the Friday 5 Junior Race and by stepping into the role of Race Director for the Cross Country race we host. I also look to promote running and its health benefits within the local community by being a Run Director at my local parkrun.